“Hurricane Force: In the Path of America’s Deadliest Storms”
by Joseph B. Treaster
Kingfisher Press, Boston, 2007, 128 pages, grades 6-8.
Ten years ago, a massive hurricane swept over the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coasts, leaving behind a horrifying scene of death and destruction. Named Hurricane Katrina, this savage storm picked up energy over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The state governments in both Mississippi and Louisiana began making preparations for Katrina’s landfall.
Barely one day ahead of the hurricane coming ashore, Max Mayfield, the director of the National Hurricane Center, called the governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans. He gave them the frightening news that they needed to evacuate New Orleans, as the storm was likely to directly strike the city.
Joseph Treaster has written a compelling account of the fateful days before, during and after Hurricane Katrina roared through the Gulf Coast. The name of this well researched book is “Hurricane Force: In the Path of America’s Deadliest Storms.”
Treaster begins his story by giving an account of hurricanes throughout history. He then narrates the attempts of the United States government to track and study hurricanes. In the early years of the 20th century, there is very little knowledge of the composition of hurricanes or the direction they might travel. After several tragic hurricanes strike the United States, the National Weather Service forms a branch to study hurricanes and this department became the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Katrina develops in the Atlantic Ocean in August 2005. As it moves westward, it picks up force and appears to be a major threat to Florida. Fortunately, Katrina has not yet developed into a crushing storm, and passes over Florida causing serious – but not catastrophic – damage. But in the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane collides with the warm water of the Gulf and an unusually deep current of warm water. This causes the hurricane to gain more energy when the swirling winds churn up the water. Had the current been cold, it would have lessened the intensity of the storm, but the warmer current now causes Katrina to grow into a monster storm.
Mayfield tracks this beast across the Gulf of Mexico and knows that when it makes landfall Katrina will create a disaster. People up and down the Gulf Coast begin shuttering their houses and businesses. Some evacuate. The National Hurricane Center now predicts that Katrina could hit New Orleans head-on. At this time, Mayfield makes his fateful calls to the political officials in Louisiana. He tells them they need to evacuate New Orleans. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin then order a mandatory evacuation of the city.
With this order, thousands flee the city. They tend to be people with financial resources. But thousands of others do not leave. They tend to be older, poorer, and less able to afford transportation. On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina makes landfall and crushes the town of Buras, La. with high winds and a 20-foot tidal wave. It turns north and heads the final 63 miles to New Orleans.
What happens to all the people unable to leave the city? Is the city directly struck by the hurricane? How many other cities on the Gulf Coast are destroyed? Why does heroism and vandalism occur simultaneously during Hurricane Katrina?
What would you do if you were placed in this frightening situation? To find out what people actually did during the hurricane, go to the library and read this outstanding account of hurricanes in general and the powerful and tragic story of Hurricane Katrina in particular. The book is packed with maps, graphs and personal accounts of the people directly involved in saving the lives of thousands of people during Hurricane Katrina. I hope you take the opportunity to check out this fine book. It is well worth it.
